Rockpaw's Disaster
by Thisty
Summary: Another one of my challenges for SecretClan. If you want to join SecretClan PM me and I'll give you the link. :) I also have my own forums called FunClan and YewClan. If you want to join one or the other or both, PM me and I'll give you the link(s)!


Rockpaw's Disaster

A light grey tom padded through a dense forest with his mentor, Roseheart, a dark ginger she-cat, and Thornspot, a dark brown tom with white paws. They were on a hunting patrol, heading towards Green-Meadows, a large grassy clearing that's drenched in sunlight during the day.

Rockpaw inched forward, catching the scent of a squirrel just ahead. He looked back at Roseheart and she nodded, giving him permission to stalk the fuzzy, grey mammal. The stocky apprentice trotted forward for a few tail-lengths, then stopped and dropped low to the ground. He kept his tail still and- making sure he didn't step on any twigs or crackly leaves- drew himself forward.

Rockpaw heard a rustling up ahead and saw a fluffy, grey tail appear underneath a bush. He waggled his haunches and pushed off with his strong back legs, launching himself into the air. Unsheathing his claws, he landed, but too short. The squirrel took off at a run, not caring to run up trees for safety. Rockpaw bolted after it, jumping over bushes and low-lying branches to stay close to the fleeing squirrel.

The squirrel made a sudden sharp turn, making Rockpaw slide into a patch of brambles.

"Fox-dung," he hissed, detaching him self from the prickly branches. As soon as he was free, Rockpaw shot after the squirrel which was now racing up a rise. Rockpaw pushed harder with his strong legs, the trees starting to whiz past him at a faster rate. Suddenly, the squirrel disappeared into the branches of a pine. Rockpaw hissed again and launched himself up the tree.

Branches rattled as the squirrel jumped from one to the other overhead and needles rained down on Rockpaw's head, tickling his ears. He shook his head, dug his claws into the bark and started clawing his way up the tree, not wanting to give up his pursuit. He heard a crash down below him before seeing the squirrel fall to the ground. Rockpaw glanced up and then back down to the broken branch. _The branch it was on must have broke…great more running. _

With a groan, Rockpaw sheathed his claws and dropped from the tree. The squirrel was already running over the top of the hill, so the muscular, young tom gave chase…again. Rockpaw started to gain speed as he was running down the slope after the squirrel. He heard a strange rumbling coming far behind him, but he didn't pay any attention to it because he though it was thunder for a coming storm. He cast a quick glance toward the sky.

It was clear. No clouds were in sight and the sun shining brightly. Rockpaw shook the worry out of his pelt and surged forward. The distance between him and the squirrel grew smaller and smaller as Rockpaw gained more and more speed. The thundering grew louder but Rockpaw ignored it.

The squirrel scrambled over a log that was lying across the path and when it was his turn, Rockpaw launched himself over it, using his strong back legs to propel himself over the fallen forest giant.

Rockpaw hesitated after he landed, wondering how far he had run. Tasting the air, he scented a faint trace of IceClan. Shrugging it off, he took off after the squirrel once more. His muscles started to burn and his lungs felt like they were going to burst. He took a deep, shaky breath and perked his ears. The rumbling sounded closer now, so the light grey tom looked over his shoulder.

He yowled in terror. A huge, grey boulder was rolling down the slope after him, crushing the tree trunk into pieces. Rockpaw gulped and tried to run even faster, even though his muscles screamed in protest. The boulder gained speed and came closer; Rockpaw's heart was racing and his eyes were wide with fear.

Rockpaw didn't care about the squirrel anymore. He was intent on saving his life, but the hill went on for a long while, not sloping down until the stream that ran through the forest. And that wasn't for another many, many tree lengths. Branches cracked and twigs were crushed as the boulder thundered down the hill towards Rockpaw. He was running at full speed now, but his energy was diminishing quickly.

"_Starclan save me," _he yowled to his ancestors, who were in the sky. _Why can't they help me,_ he asked himself. _Why can't they stop the rock?_

A strange scent started unfolding around him and he heard a small, sweet voice. "Because, Rockpaw," it said soothingly. "This is your fate. We cannot stop it. I'm sorry."

With that, the voice and scent faded away. Rockpaw's fur was standing on end and his tail streamed out behind him as he bolted for safety. He heard a crash, then a groan of wood. Branches cracked and a big trunk of a great oak came crashing down. The boulder flew under the falling trunk and Rockpaw let out a screech of terror as it caught his tail.

He tumbled, catching a glimpse of the squirrel in front of him. Rockpaw howled in pain as his legs were crushed. Soon, he didn't feel anything, just an excruciating pain. The world around his faded away as his life slipped away. His eyes grew dim. The boulder had crushed the apprentice dead.

Thornspot stepped out from behind a large holly bush. His pelt rippled as his muscles moved underneath of it. He looked at the boulder, which was now stopped, up against a sturdy willow tree. He walked up to Rockpaw, who lay unmoving on the leaf covered floor.

He chuckled menacingly. "You deserved it," he whispered. "I'm glad I pushed that boulder."


End file.
